Strategies for Riding SDMT Without Fastpass???

[SDSorority]

Hi all! I just made my November Fastpass+ reservations!! Sad face though- I didn't get one for SDMT. Without having to wait for hours in line, do you have any strategies for being able to ride without a FP? I'm thinking during the fireworks maybe, or during the 3:00 parade... any other thoughts? It's doubtful that our travel party will be able to get there at park opening (though, if it were up to me we'd be the first in line... )

Suggestions welcome!

 

[Robo]

It's doubtful that our travel party will be able to get there at park opening (though, if it were up to me we'd be the first in line... )

Sorry, but your best time will be when the sleepy-heads won't be there.

The very reason that Rope Drop (Park Opening) is the BEST time
is because most people simply will not get up early.

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Another good time to show up at the attraction is within the last 20 minutes before park closing time.
Even if the park "closes" while you're in line, all guests will be allowed to ride.

 

[SDSorority]

Sorry, but your best time will be when the sleepy-heads won't be there.

The very reason that Rope Drop (Park Opening) is the BEST time
is because most people simply will not get up early.

------
Another good time to show up at the attraction is within the last 20 minutes before park closing time.
Even if the park "closes" while you're in line, all guests will be allowed to ride.

My travel party says "we're going to have a relaaaaaxed trip this year". I say "ok well you have a relaaaaaxed time getting to the park at noon and I'll just meet you there..." Sounds like a perfect plan to me.

 

[Happy_2_B]

My travel party says "we're going to have a relaaaaaxed trip this year". I say "ok well you have a relaaaaaxed time getting to the park at noon and I'll just meet you there..." Sounds like a perfect plan to me.

I know you probably said this tongue-in-cheek, but this is EXACTLY what I would do. Why should your trip be affected by others in your party? If they want to sleep in, that's fine. No reason you can't be there at rope drop, see what you want in the early morning- then meet them somewhere later in the day.

 

[L&Lfan]

I'm at rope drop every day. My boyfriend (who's not a Disney fan) prefers to sleep in. We meet up via cell phone when he finally makes his way over to the park we're visiting that day (usually around 12ish). We book our FP+ for the afternoons, but I've ridden a ton of stuff by then. It works for us. My boyfriend works hard and is up early every workday, so I don't begrudge him if he wants to sleep in a bit on vacation. And we do stay out late at the parks, then the lounges, so it all works out.

 

[Lucius Best]

Suggestions welcome!

Rope drop or park close. Standby wait times are inflated before closing. Last trip 10 minutes before park close, we saw posted 7DMT standby wait time increase from 30 minutes to 40. But the good thing about the queue is that you can see how long the line is, we could tell it was much shorter. Got in line and waited about 11 minutes.

I don't think lines would be much shorter around the afternoon parade. You can try to time it with the fireworks, but it is difficult. I have not tried with 7DMT, but have had both success and failure with other rides during fireworks. Get in line too early, line is still long. Get in line too late, as soon as fireworks are over the FP return can get flooded and standby line slows to a crawl.